


Missing Pieces

by Slaterchest



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-06-12 01:45:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15328971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slaterchest/pseuds/Slaterchest
Summary: This is a NEW fanfic. Just like the name. Aaron is kidnapped when he was seven years old at the beach. It starts there but fast fowards to 2014 pretty quick. It's a pretty dark story but won't be graphic.





	1. Every Story Has a Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Emmerdale or the characters.

                                                                                                               **Summer 1999**

 

Chas watched as Aaron sat by the water, giggling like mad when the waves hit his toes. He had just told her it was ‘the best day ever’, a true compliment. Lately, everything had been a battle. Her and Gordon had been fighting non-stop and Aaron had been acting out. It seemed like everything she did was wrong with them. While Gordon had the father thing down, she believed she just didn’t have the mother part of her. Her own mother had run out on her and her brother when they were only a little older than Aaron. She hated herself for thinking about doing the same.

The only real difference would be that she would be leaving Aaron with an amazing dad. Her mum left her and Cain with an abusive drunk. But then there were days like this, when Aaron looked at her with such love, she thought her heart would explode with love. He was her heart, maybe she’d surprise herself.

Sighing, she looked down at the bag of pennies she had brought for the arcade. The sun was going to set soon, they wouldn’t have time before they had to leave to beat Aaron’s bedtime. Gordon was very strict about things like that, if it had been her rule Aaron would fight it. Gordon’s rules were never hated as much as any she made, not that she made many. She still felt like a fraud as a mother.

Kids laughing down the beach drew her out of her thoughts. She might as well get Aaron while he was in a good mood. She knew it was the Dingle in him that made him so damn temperamental…so much like her brother. Aaron adored his uncle Cain, it was a little odd because Gordon was a little scared of him but not Aaron. Cain would come over and Aaron would run out and throw his little body at the man. Of course, Cain would act too cool and push Aaron away but that never stopped Aaron from doing it all the same every time. In fact, she knew the first time he held himself back he would be saying goodbye to the free spirited little boy she loved. He would change, grow up and become someone new to get to know.

“Luv, time to go,” she said loudly, starting to pack up the picnic rubbish.

When Aaron didn’t run back or say anything she got annoyed. She looked up to where he had been but didn’t see him anymore. Down the beach a few lads were still playing but Aaron wasn’t with them.

“AARON!” she yelled, getting a little angry. He knew they were going to leave soon. If he had run off just to delay them leaving, she was going let him have it. She decided to check the toilets before she got too upset.

Two hours later the police were there, canvasing the beach. She had looked everywhere. It wasn’t until a little over an hour ago when two little boys had come back with their mum and said a man had approached them. He asked the boys to help him find his lost dog. The younger lad wanted to help but the older one was wary of the man and told him no. That had happened about ten minutes before she had last seen Aaron. The police were now treating his disappearance as an abduction. She told them that couldn’t be, he was just hiding to make her worry so he could get a treat. He would be back with that naughty grin of his any moment. He wasn’t gone. He couldn’t be.

The police in Hotten had called Gordon, he was on his way with an investigator. She was going between denial and all out hysterics, she just wanted her little boy back.

 

                                                                                                     **January 2014**

Chas rolled her eyes at the antics that Cain was playing. Sometimes she just wished he wouldn’t be such a hardman. Most people didn’t see the tender soul inside. The boy he had been who protected her when their dad was drunk and violent. The gangly teenage boy who went to hospital with her when she thought she was pregnant at such a young age. The man who held her over sleepless nights while she cried and became a zombie after Aaron was taken. Cain Dingle was a good man, he just didn’t want anyone to know it.

“Can’t you just shut up?” she asked Cain.

“What? Just telling it like it is.”

“You’re causing trouble again.” Like he always did. This time it was for his daughter, Debbie. She decided to keep her nose out, she had other things to think about today. “Are you coming tonight?”

Cain suppressed a sigh, he really hated this time of year. It had been fifteen years. As much as he hated to say it, Aaron was probably dead within hours of missing. The police had told them the statistics, he even looked them up years back. Aaron was dead and gone, Chas just refused to believe it. She had been a shell of herself after Aaron’s abduction. Her and Gordon divorced, he blamed her for Aaron, she blamed herself too. Gordon started drinking and was killed in a driving accident not long after.

Chas insisted on this birthday parties every year for him. She thought one day he would find her, and she wanted him to know how much she missed him. She spent most of her waking hours either at work at the pub or working for a missing children’s website that she had helped create with another mother of an abducted boy. Their stories were so similar, the police suspected both boys were taken by the same man. He liked Moira Barton, maybe more than he should. She and her husband divorced just after they moved to the village. He runs Butlers farm with his brother and nephews. Moira’s daughters had run off and hadn’t been seen in the village since the divorce was final. That family had been broken when little Adam Barton was taken…just like his with Aaron.

“Sorry, sis, can’t make it.”

Her eyes narrowed on him. “You always do this. What will Aaron think when he gets back and finds out you’ve never been to his birthday parties?”

He had always been gentle with her about this, but something in him snapped today. “He’s not coming back, Chas. He is dead, he’s been dead for fifteen years. Probably not even an hour after he was taken. You need to move on with your life.”

She ran the pub, the website and occasionally went to family dinners. But she never went out on dates, Carl King asked her out years back, but she turned him down flat. Paddy Kirk tried to no avail. She told him once, she couldn’t move on with her life until she had answers. He wasn’t even sure she would be able to do it if they ever did find Aaron’s body.

Tears started to well in her eyes. He leapt of the bar stool and rushed over to her. Pulling her into his arms, he hugged her close. “I didn’t mean that. He’ll come back one day, I just know it,” he lied. They both knew it was a lie, but it’s what she needed. She gave him a watery smile and fled into the kitchen. A chill ran up his spine.

Turning around he saw Moira, she was glaring at him. Moira didn’t have the delusions Chas had about her son coming home for his birthday party. She just wanted to bury hers.

He left before the Scottish woman could start yelling at his insensitivity. He had to make his yearly trip to Hotten, to go by Gordon and Chas’ old flat to see if Aaron was there. In truth, he did it about once every few months. Maybe Chas wasn’t the only one in denial.

When he found out about Debbie he had never been so upset, happy and scared at the same time. Upset because of the lies. Happy because he had a child, although he never let anyone see that. And scared that she could be ripped away by some sicko in the blink of an eye.

The last time he saw his nephew was a month before he was taken. Shadrach was getting on his case again, so he decided to stay at Chas’ for a few days. Aaron had run out like he always did and try to hug him. Cain pushed him away and told him to act his age. But hadn’t he been? He was only seven. Forever seven.

 

                                                                                                                 **June 2014**

 

“What the hell?” Curtis asked, glaring at his brother.

“What? I said, watch it,” Ben said.

Curtis was sitting in the middle of floor, soaked with water from the bucket Ben had dropped.

“What were you even doing?”

“Cleaning?” Ben asked, that stupid grin on his face.

“Help me up, we need to get everything cleaned for real before we have to leave.”

Ben pouted. Ben always pouted when he didn’t get the laugh he was going for. There wasn’t much to laugh about in their lives, but Ben tried to always make Curtis laugh. It never really worked, he was there to make sure Ben didn’t get hurt. When their parents were upset, he would try and take the blame. Sometimes it didn’t work but most of the time it did. The one thing he was glad for was he had saved Ben from the late-night visits from their father.

Curtis came to live with mother and father first. His real parents had been fighting and decided that they couldn’t keep him anymore. So, they found him new parents. He wished they would have kept him or let him live with his granddad. Mother wanted children but couldn’t have any, so father and she adopted them. Ben came a few months later. Father always talked about adopting a daughter, but mother would say girls were harder to discipline. Curtis was glad, he wouldn’t wish mother and father on his worst enemies.

“Are you going to work?” Ben asked, dragging Curtis out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, make sure you keep the flat locked up.” He didn’t want either parent to be able to get in while they were gone. They had finally been able to talk mother and father into letting them have their own place, they didn’t want it to feel tainted by them too. It was in father’s name but they kept the deadbolt locked.

“I could get you a job at the delivery,” Ben said softly.

Curtis hated to make his brother sad, but it couldn’t be helped. The only way their parents let them move out was if they paid them back for all the years they took care of them. Curtis wondered if all the ‘extras’ they had to do while living in that home was counted in their favor. When he had been younger, his father said he had found a job for him. His one task was to do whatever the men who picked him up asked. He made sure Ben was never asked this, father even started to blackmail him using Ben. Whatever fight he had left, usually left after that. Now, he found other ways to deal with the pain of selling himself. A different kind of pain.

But father didn’t know what they knew. He had a client, a rich client, who was moving away. He had asked Curtis to go with him and be his ‘friend’. He liked Lawrence, mostly because they never had sex, at least not yet but they were working up to it. Lawrence just wanted to look at him, kiss him, touch him. That was it. After all those years, it was a relief. Lawrence wasn’t in love with him, thank God. But he was helping Lawrence undue all the trauma of being put in prison for being gay and being ‘fixed’. It made sex with anyone impossible. But slowly, they were working on him. Lawrence’s goal was to find the one that got away and live happily ever after with him and his family. For the help, Curtis would have a house bought for him and Ben, and no one could touch it. Lawrence was also going to help get them paperwork.

Ben and his adoptions weren’t exactly legal. So, they had nothing that said who they were. Lawrence was going to have new identities for them. He knew his real name was Aaron, he used to write it repeatedly, so he wouldn’t forget. His last name fell away and he forgot years ago. Ben’s name was Adam, he never told Aaron his last name. They both knew they couldn’t be Aaron and Adam anymore. Aaron wasn’t damaged, and neither was Adam. Curtis and Ben were different stories. But maybe, they could become people not as damaged as Curtis and Ben.

“I don’t need one, mate. Just think, in two month we’ll be in the wind...and they'll never find us.”

The smile Ben gave him was blinding. Everything he did was protect Ben. That being said, everything Ben did was to keep Curtis from cutting too deep. They protected each other, just in different ways.

 

 

 

 


	2. The Last Night

Robert couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Moving back to Emmerdale, that couldn’t be right. He had worked his whole adult life to put that place behind him. Now he was going back, and he didn’t have anything to his name to shove in anyone’s face yet. Sure, he was engaged to Chrissie and was going to oversee the company after Lawrence retired.

He hadn’t been back home since his father’s funeral, not that anyone knew. It wasn’t like he was hiding, but he hadn’t wanted to deal with anyone. The last time he talked to his father, the man had been so disappointed. That memory will live with him forever.

“I need to talk to you.”

Rebecca had been trying to talk to him for days, he’d been putting it off. He had no idea what she wanted to talk about, but he suspected it was his engagement to Chrissie.

“Not now,” he told her.

“I think Dad has a boyfriend.”

That stopped him in place. “What are you talking about?”

“Chrissie and Dad are trying to get me to do more with the business. I was looking over some of the charges, well I was looking at Dad’s personal bill instead of company. I noticed every Thursday night he checks into The Central of Dale hotel. Also, you know the estate he just bought? Home Farm?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it comes with several properties. One, he’s sold off a property already. Brook Cottage was sold to a Philip and Paul Jamison.”

“That doesn’t prove anything. And what does it matter if he found someone? He told us months ago he was gay.”

It hadn’t been a shock to him, he had seen how the man looked at him. It had worked in his favor until he started to date Chrissie. He had been shocked the man admitted it though. All of them knew about what happened when he was younger. Robert may not like Lawrence, but no one deserved that.

“I followed him this last week. Robert, the man he’s seeing is barely that. Twenty-one if I was to guess.”

Robert’s eyes rounded, that was very young for Lawrence. But twenty-one was legal so there wasn’t much they could do.

“So, what if he is?”

“Then he’s using Daddy. He’s using him for his money.”

Robert thought on that for a minute. “Well, maybe so but maybe your father knows that.” Lawrence was not a stupid man. If Robert were a betting man, he would say the hotel lad was a rent boy.

At least it was Rebecca who would just whine, if it was Chrissie she would be out for blood. Who was he to blame for getting a little action, it wasn’t like he was married. Of course, Robert still looked for a bit of rough too, so who was he to judge.

“I knew I should have told Chrissie first,” she muttered.

“Don’t,” he snapped. “She doesn’t need the bother. Lawrence is an adult and he can take care of himself. I’m sure he doesn’t want his daughters putting their nose in his sex life.”

She growled and left. It didn’t really bother him. He just hoped she left before she decided to tell Chrissie about their own activities. The sooner she was gone the better, he had too much riding on Chrissie saying, ‘I do’.

His curiosity was peeked by the new revelation, but he didn’t really have time for that right now. Now, he had to get his family ready for Whites to come to the village. He worried mostly what Katie and Andy would tell Chrissie. Lawrence already didn’t trust him. Maybe he should have some sort of dirt on the old man. That decided it for him, he would go to the hotel next Thursday.

 

* * *

 

“I wish you would let me buy you some new clothes,” Lawrence said as he walked in room, eying over Curtis’ attire.

Curtis rolled his eyes, there wasn’t a Thursday where Lawrence didn’t try and talk him into it. “I’m fine,” he said shortly.

Lawrence must have noticed his tone because he backed off. “Sorry, just want to help,” he muttered. “Have you given anymore thought to what you what to do with your life?”

“Something that will take care of me and my brother. That’s all, I want him to be safe. It’s not like we have any real skills.”

“What if…”

“What?”

“Well, I was thinking about starting a scrapyard. It’s cheap and easy to make, and if you work off the what I put down, you can buy if off me. You could be the owner of your own business in less than a year.”

“What do you want for it?” If something sounded too good to be true, it was.

“You really have no idea how much you’ve helped me, do you?”

Curtis shrugged. “Didn’t do much.”

“I would very much disagree with that assessment.” Lawrence shrugged. “This will be our last night here, what do you want to do?”

Curtis smiled slightly. “Anything?”

“Anything.”

That night they left the hotel and Lawrence took him for a driving lesson. He didn’t have any kind of permit because he didn’t have any kind of real documentation. But when Lawrence let him behind the wheel, he felt…free.

Ben and he had been home schooled but Ben’s job at the delivery was under the table because he had no real degrees. Mother was very fanatic about their schoolwork and discipline, but very secretive about everything else. Mother wasn’t all bad, neither was father. Sometimes mother would let them play outside when father wasn’t around. If they didn’t fight too much, father would sometimes bring sweets home.  

In his head, he knew the things they did was wrong, but no one else wanted him and Ben. He didn’t even know his real last name. Sometimes, he could almost see his real parents. His mum had dark hair and dark eyes, he thought. Every time he tried to remember her face though it was always blurry. Same with his dad, it was almost like he could hear them calling him, but their voices were muffled.

Ben remembered less than even he did. He remembered two girls with brown hair, sisters maybe but he wasn’t sure. At one time they had been sure, but somethings were hard to remember with time. Ben cried the day he told him he couldn’t remember what his mum looked like. They had been about ten. Ben’s parents couldn’t afford to take care of him anymore, at least that what mother said when he asked.

Sometimes Curtis wondered if he could find his family, just to ask them why. Why couldn’t they keep him? He could have been good, but they didn’t give him a chance. He only vaguely remembered the first time he saw father. He remembered his mum had taken him to father. It had been the best day, then everything in his memory got fuzzy but father was there, so that must have meant his mum had taken him to him. Ben remembered he had been at a carnival, which seemed odd to Curtis. Why two places so exciting to give up your child?

* * *

 

“I’m going to strangle Marlon if he says one more word,” Moira grouched.  

Chas laughed. “Don’t let him get to ya so much.” Ever since Moira bought Diane’s part of the pub, her and Marlon had been at each other’s throats.

She had no idea how dependent on Moira she would become. Having this horrible thing in common had made them close. After Adam was taken, Chas had heard about the abduction because she kept close with the police. There were just too many similarities in the two cases. They had been strangers, now they were sisters in sorrow.

Moira’s story was so similar to hers it was scary. Her husband had been working late so she decided to take her three small children to a carnival that was in town. Her youngest had a stomachache and had her seven and eight-year-old keep an eye on each other. A man came up to the two children, asking if they had seen his dog. Adam, being the ever-helpful little boy Moira said he was, volunteered to help him look. Holly almost went with him, but she decided to stay where she was so Moira wouldn’t worry.

Holly, because of the guilt of letting her little brother walk away, fell into drug addiction in her teens. She was clean when her and Hannah, Moira’s youngest, moved away. So many lives shattered apart from two crimes…so much destruction.

 

* * *

 

Ben always waited for Curtis to get home, he never could fall asleep without his brother there. Ever since they were little and shared the room. He hated the room. It didn’t have any windows, Mother said it was for their protection. She said people kidnapped little boys all the time. He believed her, he had heard stories on the tele.

It bothered him that Curtis always thought he needed to protect him. Because of that, he couldn’t break it to him about his own visits from father. There were no where near as many as he visited Curtis. Ben had never fought, he just cried. But Curtis fought every time, father seems to want that more. Curtis was stubborn, he never backed down.

It was mother who seemed to take pleasure in his own torture. She liked when he cried, father didn’t. By the time he was adopted, Curtis had the hard shell he had now. He did cry, but never let them see. He never let them get the satisfaction of breaking him. Ben didn’t have that because Curtis had succeeded in keeping most of the bad things, just not all away from him. Maybe that was why he felt so guilty about Curtis’ job. Father never took him wherever he took Curtis. The first night, Curtis came back with a swollen black eye along with bruises all over him. That had stopped when they moved out but Curtis still did the things father made him do for money.

That was never going to happen again though. They were leaving in the morning. Father and mother would never find them. Now all he had to do was convince Curtis to let him find his parents. He didn't think they gave him up.

He had never told Curtis, but he had been in punishment in the kitchen years ago. He had been about eleven. Mother had him standing on his toes, holding buckets of water in each hand. If he dropped them he would get the whip, he hated the whip. He overheard a name, his name. Adam Barton. He never told Curtis his last name, it hurt too much. Just before mother changed the channel, he heard his mum, he knew it was her.

She said that if he could hear her that she loved him and looked forward to the day he could come home. He knew he was Adam Barton, he knew it. But as the years gone by, he knew he could never runaway. Even if he had a home to go to, Curtis didn’t, if they got caught the police would give Curtis back to them. He would get it big time then. He would never leave him. But by tomorrow night, they would be in Emmerdale, it’s a name that held so much promise to them. A new beginning.


	3. First Impressions

“Where’s Chas?”

Cain looked up to see James Barton, the bloke had been after Chas since he arrived in the village. She didn’t look at him twice, but she hadn’t looked at anyone twice.

“Her and Moira went to some vigil being held for the Missing of the Dales.”

It was held every year. Family of missing children would get together and hold a vigil for their lost children. Usually they didn’t go together but Chas had been in one of her episodes lately. Moira went with her just to make sure she didn’t accost a young man walking down the street. Which she had, several times before thinking they were Aaron. The last lad looked nothing like the age-progression composite made of Aaron. Moira going was really just smart, she was the only one that could go without Chas thinking she was being watched.

“When will they be back?”

Cain raised an eyebrow at the man. Did he really not get it? Chas didn’t want him, she didn’t want anyone, but this was getting a little sad.

“Few days. Isn’t your wife roaming the village somewhere?” He smiled when James started to look uncomfortable.

“Right. When she gets back just tell her I stopped in.”

Cain simply nodded but he would tell her no such thing. She was barely hanging on during her normal day, she didn’t need James Barton sniffing around her.

Thankfully, Barton didn’t stick around and left before Cain could say anything else.

“Come sit with us,” his dad said.

Being raised by Shadrach, he never thought he would actually have a father he looked up to. Finding out that Zak was his father was the best and worst news of his life. It was the best because he found out that tramp wasn’t his dad. The worst because he got to know what he had lost. None of Zak’s other children had been scared to come home at night growing up with him. Not saying Zak was perfect, far from it but he wasn’t anything like his brother. Of course, if he had known and been raised by Zak, that would have left Chas alone with Shadrach, he would never want that.

He grabbed his pint from Alicia, who was helping while Chas and Moira were gone, and headed to the table with his dad and Lisa.

“I’ve heard you’re giving Debbie’s new fella a hard time,” Zak said.

“As long as it’s not Cameron I don’t care. I’m just glad he’s gone once and for all.”

“Here. Here,” Zak said, raising his own pint.

No one had liked Cameron, something was very off about him. He had left after trying to guilt Debbie into marriage. Being a parent was pretty hard but watching Chas, he knew how much worse not being one could be.

He was facing the door, so he noticed the two lads shuffling through the door. They were walking almost huddled together, looking around for what? Signs of danger by the looks of it. Finally, one of them broke from the other and took a seat at the bar. He looked less cautious than the other one.

“What can I get ya?” Alicia asked, smiling brightly at the one seated.

“Umm…what do you recommend?” he asked, a little warily.

“You look like at Adnams man to me,” she said, pulling out a bottle.

“Cheers,” the lad said, taking the drink.

“How much?” the other one asked, putting a hand on the seated one’s shoulder stopping him from drinking.

“First one’s on the house,” she said, looking at the one standing a little worriedly. He had a bit of a vibe about him, making the pub on the tense side.

“We can pay,” the lad said defensively.

Getting to his feet, he headed over to the bar. He didn’t want any trouble in Chas and Moira’s pub.

“I-I didn’t say you couldn’t,” Alicia stammered.

“Problem?” he asked the one standing up. The one sitting looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but there.

The aggravated lad looked at him and his eyes widened for a second. “No, no problem,” he muttered before taking a seat beside the other one.

Not wanting to leave Alicia alone with the strangers, he took a sit a few bar stools over.

“So, what brings you into the village?” he asked the one with the drink.

“We just moved here. Brook Cottage,” he said, he was much friendlier than the other one.

“Hmm…I thought Home Farm owned Brook Cottage.”

“The new owner, Lawrence White gave it to us,” he said, taking a pull on the beer before making a face. It was almost like he had never drank before.

“Gave it to you?” he asked, curious.

The other one, the sullen looking one, was quick to speak up. “He didn’t mean that. Mr. White is very kind man and is giving us a shot to start our own business, with double interest to him if it’s a success.”

“And if it’s not he just takes the loss?”

“Write off?” the sullen one said, standing up, looking at Cain.

“I didn’t catch your name,” he said. There was something oddly familiar about the lad.

“Philip Jamison, this is my brother Paul.”

“But I go by Adam,” the one at the bar said, standing and sticking out his hand.

Cain just looked at the proffered hand but didn’t put his hand out. “Well, Philip and Adam, I don’t know what you two are up to, but I can smell a lie, and you two reek of it.”

“Listen mate, we don’t want any trouble,” Adam said, getting in-between him and Philip.

“No trouble, just stating fact,” he said before leaving the pub. He didn’t feel much like being there now. Something about the man niggled the back of his brain. He would figure it out.

* * *

 

“What was that about?” Adam asked, his face a bit pale.

“There’s something I don’t like about him. I can’t explain it, seeing him just put me on edge. Sorry I dragged you in it.”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Adam said, smiling at him.

Aaron (Philip) noticed Adam’s eyes start to follow something. He turned and saw a short, pretty blonde with a chef hat. He withheld the smile that threatened to escape. This is why they were here, so Adam could live the life he was always meant to. It was too late for himself, but Adam had a chance at living a full and happy life.

“You should talk to her,” he told his brother.

“What? No, I couldn’t. I would make a fool of myself.”

“Well, yeah, but maybe she’ll like that,” he said.

“Is that a joke? I didn’t think you had it in you,” Adam said, his smile brilliant.

“I didn’t either, but we did say this was a new beginning.”

He heard the door open behind him but didn’t pay any attention. It wasn’t until someone knocked into him, causing him to almost fall that he saw who it was. A tall blond man with a sneer on his face as he looked at Aaron.

“Sorry,” the man said, but it lacked any feeling.

“Sure,” he said, moving away from the man.

“I believe we have a mutual friend,” the blond said, eyeing him up and down.

“Yeah, who?”

“Lawrence White.”

It was then Aaron knew who he was, Robert Sugden, bane of Lawrence’s existence. He had been warned about this man several times. Lawrence was sure that Robert was no good for his daughter and would do anything to split them up. Aaron wanted nothing to do with the whole mess. He had his own problems, he didn’t need to borrow others.

“I don’t want any problems,” he said, only loud enough for Robert to hear him.

“Choose your allegiance wisely.”

Aaron looked at the man like he was nuts. Choose his allegiance? What the hell was that about? He looked over to get Adam but noticed he was talking to the blonde woman. Adam had a charisma about him, it drew people in. He was the opposite, not that he wanted to draw anyone in. He decided to leave Adam alone, hoping he would make friends here. Instead of staying and being stared at by Robert Sugden, he fled, hoping it didn’t look like he was fleeing.

 

* * *

 

Cain was halfway home when it hit him who the lad reminded him of…Aaron. There was no trace of the goofy little boy he remembered but there was something there, something so Aaron. Maybe it was because he had looked quite a bit like the age-progression composite of Aaron. Whatever it was, he had to figure it out before Chas got home. Once she saw him, there would be no convincing her he wasn’t Aaron. If he thought Aaron were alive, he would have been ecstatic. But he knew better to hope, it only led to tears. He would have to find out who this boy and his brother were and chase them out of town…quick.


	4. Do I know you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's taken this long for the chapter. My work has been crazy. I'm working on the next few chapters tonight to set them up so I can post one every day or two days, depending on how man I get written.

Aaron had just left, leaving him all alone in the pub with strangers. He wasn’t used to being without Aaron. Ever since he was seven years old Aaron had been his best friend, brother and confidant. His job at the delivery before they left was a favor Aaron rang in. It was kind of funny if you thought about it, he was better with people than Aaron but because of his ‘job’ Aaron had more contacts. True, they weren’t great contacts, but they did help them out a time or two.

When they were young, they never got to leave the house. It wasn’t until they were teenagers that they were able to get out. It was always with either with mother or father though unless it was Aaron’s ‘job’. Aaron told him once that he didn’t ever think about running away when he was gone because he would never leave him. While he couldn’t picture his life without his brother, sometimes he wished he would have run away. Everyday another piece of the Aaron of old disappeared, not that the Aaron of old was happy or content to begin with, at least as long as Adam’s known him.

Looking over, he saw the cute blonde he had been chatting with was now rowing with the tall blond man that was so harsh with his brother. Adam didn’t know what to think about that. He was worried the guy would tell everyone in the village about Aaron’s past. They agreed to put all those things behind them. Aaron wasn’t working in that field any longer. He was helping Lawrence but that was between them, no one else. The blond man seemed way too interested in his brother. He would have to watch that, no one was allowed to hurt Aaron anymore. His brother had protected him for years, it was time to repay the favor.

He stepped closer, so he could hear what they were rowing about.

“Why can’t you just get along with ‘em?” she asked, her voice pleading.

“I am, Vic. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t even, consider this half-baked idea.”

“Your soon-to-be father-in-law seems to think it’s a great idea.”

Almost as like he felt him listening in, the tall man looked right at Adam and said, “There are a lot of things he seems to think are a great idea but are poor planning.”

Adam didn’t know what they were talking about, but he could read the dislike of Aaron in the man’s words. Looked like if the woman was somehow involved with the smarmy git, he would look somewhere else for a date. She was cute though, too bad.

 

* * *

 

Aaron went to meet Lawrence at Home Farm. The walk cleared his head, he hoped that Lawrence wouldn’t change his mind now that Robert dug his heels in. Maybe Lawrence could call Robert off or at least make him stop for a while. The village wasn’t big enough to avoid him forever.

“They’re not home,” a voice said from behind him.

Turning, he saw an awkward looking fellow with a bit of a vacant look about him.

“Lawrence is on his way, I’ve just spoken to him,” he lied. He hadn’t but he knew Lawrence well enough to know that he would be there for their appointment.

“I can’t let you in,” the man said, looking like he wanted him to leave.

“That’s alright, I’ll just wait,” he told him before heading further up the walk. He hoped the man didn’t notice him go in the house. Lawrence had given him a key, so he could sneak into his room without his daughter, her son or her fiancé seeing him.

Following Lawrence’s directions, he made his way through the mansion and found Lawrence’s bedroom. Looking around he had to smile a little. The older man was such a stickler, everything needed to be in place and clean. He would almost wash everything down when they went to the hotel. All in all, he genuinely liked Lawrence, he was the closest thing he had to a friend other than Adam. That was a little sad because when he met Lawrence he thought he was a perv, like every one of his other clients. It was only last year, so at least he wasn’t so young, but Lawrence had surprised him. He didn’t ask or demand sex, quite the opposite, he just wanted to talk. Just recently they had moved to the more intimate things. Now, all he wanted to do was repay Lawrence for his help. He wasn’t stupid enough to think things came without a price, thankfully, he knew Lawrence’s price.

Soon with Lawrence’s help, he and Adam would have a business of their own…one to be proud of. One that he wouldn’t be ashamed of or have to worry about violent clients. This was the start of their lives, the kind of life Adam deserved.

“Who are you?”

He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he hadn’t heard the door open. A woman in her mid-thirties was staring wide-eyed at him. Right away he knew she was Lawrence eldest daughter, Chrissie. She was wearing clothes meant for a bigger city than the little village where they were.

“My name is…Cu-Philip Jamison,” he said, glad he caught himself at the last moment.

“Why are you in my father’s bedroom? Who let you in? Are you burgling?” she asked her questions in rapid succession.

“No, I’m not here to steal anything. I’m…

“He’s my guest, Chrissie. Would you kindly leave us, and please do not speak that way to him again.”

The woman looked like she wanted to argue but Lawrence was showing no sign of backing down. So, she huffed a little and left the room. Lawrence shut the door behind her, turning the lock. Anyone else and Aaron would find it hard to breath, but Lawrence had earned his trust.

“She doesn’t like me,” he said lightly, trying to change the atmosphere in the room.

“She’s just worried. I’m springing things on her that she never even thought was possible.”

“You told her about Ronnie?” He didn’t think Lawrence would have broached the subject yet.

“Well, she already knew about Harold and prison. I just don’t think she thought it was in the realm of possibilities that could happen now, after I married her mother. I guess she just suspected that part of me was gone, until I met you…so did I.”

Aaron looked down at his feet, not knowing how to feel about the praise. He really hadn’t done much, just his job really.

“It’s nothing. So, what did you want to talk about?” Lawrence had wanted him there for some reason.

“I found a place for you to run the scrapyard. Because I know you, you’ll want to make things as cheap as possible, so you can pay it off fast, which I can respect. I found a perfect place for it. A local is willing to let you use a portion of his land to run it for a small fee.”

Aaron groaned. “How much?”

“A pittance of what buying land would be. This is the answer to your prayers, my boy. This way, I can give you the start up and it can all be in you and your brother’s names right away. The house is already yours.”

He shook his head. “It’s too much. We’ve already taken too much from you.”

“You will still pay off the startup with interest. The house…we both know what that was payment for. Don’t you dare think it’s too much. You saved my life, quite literally if I do remember.”

That was the truth, Lawrence had been teetering on the edge of falling apart. One day, he had met the older man at the hotel for their weekly appointment and Lawrence was talking out of his head. It took a minute for him to realized how suicidal Lawrence had been. He wouldn’t let him go until they talked through his feelings. Aaron didn’t solve his problems, but he seemed to feel a little less hopeless after talking. It had been what Adam had done for him when he was fifteen. Somedays, deep in the darkest part of his soul, he wished his brother wouldn’t have walked into the room that day.

 

* * *

 

Moira shook her head as she parked her car. It had been a long day and didn’t seem close to ending. The vigil was in only a few hours, but she had to rush home because she forgot her folder with all of Adam’s pictures and newest age-progression composite. She had printed off over two-hundred and didn’t want to do that again. It wouldn’t take that long, but Chas had also forgotten her most prized possession, a red bit of sea glass that Aaron had given her right before he disappeared. She treasured it, once Holly had been cleaning before she left and misplaced it. She was worried that Chas would actually attack her daughter. After that, Chas kept it locked up in her jewelry box.

“What are you doing back?”

She had just shut her door when she heard Cain. It was really not what she needed today.

“I forgot some things.”

“I need to talk to you first.”

“I really don’t have time for this, Cain.”

He grabbed her arm roughly. “Make time then,” he demanded.

“Hey, mate let the lady go,” a young male voice said.

She turned to look at who had the guts to try and stop Cain Dingle. When her eyes locked on the young man in front of her, all the breath in her body rushed out. That was her Adam. She knew that sweet face anywhere. He was older and had facial hair, not a lot but some. But that was her little boy, the one she carried, birthed and loved.

When he just looked at her worriedly, she knew he didn’t recognize her. It was a like a million knives stabbing her in the heart.

“Adam,” she said breathlessly. Tears started to freely run down her face.

“Sorry, do I know you?” he asked, worriedly.

“Adam,” she said again. It was like she couldn’t get anything else out.

“You don’t mean he’s **_your_** Adam?” Cain asked disbelievingly.

“Her Adam?” the lad asked.

“What’s your name?” Cain asked.

“Adam Jamison,” he said, it seemed like he had to think about his answer before he gave them his name.

“Your real name, luv,” she pleaded.

Something in the boy’s demeanor changed. For a split second there was something akin to recognition there then that turned into panic. Before she could say anything else, he sprinted away.

Cain grabbed her again and stopped her from chasing Adam. “Let me go!” she demanded.

“How can you be sure he’s your son?” he asked forcefully.

“I know my child.”

“Chas thought that too.”

“But how many times have I? Chas had a breakdown, I haven’t. I know my son and that was him. Let me go now or you’ll regret it.”

Cain let go and stepped back. “Damn.”

That surprised her. “What?”

“If he’s Adam…than his brother is most likely Aaron.”

“Aaron? You’ve seen Aaron?”

“I thought he resembled him. That’s why I did what I did. I didn’t know, I swear.”

“What did you do?” Her heart beating out of control.

“I made a few calls. Didn’t take more than a few minutes to find out their names were fake.”

“What did you do?” her voice was hard as steel.

“I-I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t. I just wanted him gone before Chas saw him and thought it was Aaron.”

“That’s my Adam, if the same man took Aaron, then that is a good chance that is Aaron.”

Wiping his hand over his face, he said, “I know that now. The fact doesn’t change anything.”

“What did you do?” she was losing patience.

“I called in a few favors, they are supposed to rough Philip or Aaron or whatever his name is up, tell him to leave the village.”

“Well, what are you doing? Nothing? You better find him before your mates do. I’m going to find my son.”

“Try Brook Cottage, the new owner of Home Farm gave it to them.”

That made her come up short. “Why?”

“That’s my question,” he said before running off in the direction of the garage, probably to get his car. She took off for Brook Cottage.


	5. A Walk Down A Country Road

It was her, he knew it. His mum. He hadn’t recognized her voice or her face. It wasn’t until she said his name again when it hit him, it was her. After so many years of dreaming of the day his real mum and dad would rescue him. But she hadn’t rescued him, they rescued themselves. No knight on a horse came bursting through the door. Fantasies of two scared little boys, left to rot in that place.

In his heart he knew it hadn’t been her fault. He remembered the plea over the television, but seeing her, knowing it was her. That was a different matter altogether. He had thought in his head, if he saw her or his dad again, it would bring back all the memories he had lost. It didn’t though, he remembered next to nothing. Why couldn’t he remember? People remember when they were seven all the time, right? It wasn’t like he was a baby.

He was pacing the floor inside their new home when someone knocked on the door. His heart fluttered in his chest. Aaron would just come in, it had to be someone else. It was her, he knew it was her. His guess was confirmed with what happened next.

“Adam, please open the door. I need to see you,” she said loudly, on the other side of the door.

Could he open the door? Could he face her? Where was Aaron when he needed him?

Instead of opening the door he sat down on the other side of the door, listening to her plead.

“Please, Adam, just open the door.”

He could hear her sobbing from the other side, it ripped at his heart. Reaching up, he unlocked the door and slowly opened it. She practically fell inside, once she saw where he was, she got on the floor with him.

They spent a few silent moments just looking at each other.

“Do you remember me?” she asked quietly, hiccupping once.

Instead of answering, he started humming a tune that he would sing to him and Aaron when things were bleak…like the day he found Aaron hung from a pipe.

His mum’s eyes started to water. “You know it?” he asked.

“Yes, I know it. It’s Griogal Cridhe. I used to sing it to you and your sisters.”

“My sisters?” He had thought he made them up. After a while, he was sure they weren’t real.

“Holly and Hannah. They’ve missed you so much. So, have your dad and I…so much.”

“Why?”

“Why what, luv?”

“Why’d you give me to him?” In his head, he knew that that’s not how it happened. But the little boy shut up in the room crying for his parents was still there. The boy who had been told from the first day that he wasn’t wanted anymore by his family. It sticks to you like tar.

“I didn’t. You were taken, I would never give you to anyone.”

She went to hug him, but he sat back out of her reach, he wasn’t used to being hugged. When someone got in your personal space it was because they were getting ready to hurt you in some way. The only exception was Aaron, he was the exception for everything. Her arms dropped, and she looked like she was about to cry again.

“I hate myself for not being there, for not stopping that man from taking you. I forgot myself for a moment and that moment will forever haunt me. I was so focused on Hannah that I didn’t think it through. I should have taken you and Holly with me. But I didn’t, and you paid the price.”

“Did-did you miss me?” He hated how young he sounded. He was a grown man.

“Every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, of every week, of every month, of every year.”

“I want to remember you.”

 

* * *

 

It was already dark by the time he headed back, he had a lot to think about. Suddenly, a car veered over and almost hit him. “Hey!” he yelled at the driver.

The car pulled over to the opposite side of the road. A woman got out of the car, looking a bit frazzled. She stood at the edge of the road. “Sorry, didn’t see you.”

A crying child could be heard from inside her car.

“It’s alright,” he said, before turning to walk away. The sound of another car followed by a squeal of tires, a scream and a thud stopped him in his tracks. Turning he saw a blue sport car speed off into the night. “Oh god.”

He ran over to the woman, she was lying on the road, not making a sound. The crying from the car got louder. He pulled the mobile out of his pocket that Lawrence had given him. But now he didn’t know who to ring. Just as he was about to ring Lawrence, a ringing noise sounded from the woman’s car. He rushed to the car, grabbing the mobile off the seat of the car. He went back to the woman, tried to block out the screaming of the toddler.

“Hello,” he answered the phone.

“Who is this? Where is Rhona?”

“Umm…there was an accident. I’m afraid to move her,” he said, his voice wobbling.

“Okay, calm down. Tell me where you are,” the man said, his voice calm.

“Between Home Farm and the village of Emmerdale,” he said, not knowing where the woman was from.

“Alright.” Aaron heard him tell someone else to phone help and tell them where they were. “I want you to stay on with me. Can you tell me what happened?” He could tell the man was upset but was keeping a very even head.

“A car hit her. She was on the side of the road.”

“Leo, what about Leo?” he heard someone else ask.

“What about her little boy?” the man on the phone asked.

“There’s a kid, he’s crying but he’s not hurt,” Aaron said.

“We’re on our way, we should be there within minutes. Just don’t leave them.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

He looked in on the kid in the back seat, the little boy stopped crying. The little boy gave him a watery smile and that seemed to center Aaron. He went back over to the woman and checked to see if she was breathing, she was. There was blood around her head, a lot of it. He had heard on a show once when he was in punishment with mother that you weren’t supposed to move people, he couldn’t remember why but he knew he shouldn’t touch her.

It was only a few moments later another car came to a screeching halt. Two men jump out, one a tall, round man, the other a taller, thin man. The tall, thin one ran to the car with the child. The other man knelt next to the woman, putting two fingers to her throat.

“She’s got a strong pulse,” he said, relief evident in his voice. “Don’t let Leo see her like this though, keep him in the car.”

“That was the plan,” the other man said, climbing into the car with the little boy.

“Is she alright?” Aaron asked the man by the woman.

“She’s alive and that will have to do for now. The ambulance should be on it’s way. Can you tell me why she was stopped here?”

“I was walking home, I guess she wasn’t paying attention or something, anyway, she almost hit me. She stopped and was apologizing. I had turned away, telling her it was alright when a blue car hit her and sped off.”

“The police will want a description; can you give it to them?”

“I only barely saw it, but I’ll tell them whatever they need,” he said but inside was scared. Father always warned him how bad the police really were. He didn’t want those awful things he had been told about to happen to him.

He was glad when the ambulance arrived and took the woman and man with her away. The police asked him a few questions and got the description of the car. They took down his information and said that they would be in contact with him.

The tall man took the child and drove off, he hadn’t said a word to Aaron. He did hear the man talking to someone on his mobile about picking up the woman’s car. Now that he was alone, he realized Adam would be worried about him. He was due home hours ago. Without another thought, he headed back to Brook Cottage.

Just as he was a nearing his new home a car slammed on its brakes. Before he knew what was happening he was thrown in and they sped off. He fought but a couple shots to his head and he was losing consciousness.

 

 


	6. Memories

Moira ignored Chas’ name popping up on her mobile. She didn’t want to tell her what she found yet. She needed to see Aaron with her own eyes before she dared to say the words. If she told her and was wrong, she didn’t believe Chas would ever recover. Having that kind of hope ripped from you can be a death sentence.

Ten years ago, Chas had a mental breakdown. It had been before Moira had moved to the village, but she had been given a play by play over the phone by Lisa. It was actually why she moved to the village in the first place. They had known each other since just after Adam had been taken.

A little after Aaron’s twelfth birthday skeletal remains of a boy about seven or eight was found not too far from where Aaron went missing. Both her and Chas had been wanting and not wanting it to be their little boy. Not knowing was the worst. It took ages for it to be confirmed not to be either Adam or Aaron. It turned out it was suspected to be the first boy taken by the same man. The boy’s name was Barry Crawford. When they told the boy’s parents, they were devastated. She remembered seeing them interviewed on camera. They were so broken, it had been close to happened to her and Chas.

Turned out, the boy didn’t need to be Aaron for Chas to have a breakdown, Cain had to talk her into self-committing after she tried to take a boy off the street. Thankfully, the boy’s parents understood and didn’t press charges as long as she got help she so desperately needed.

Moira couldn’t take her eyes off Adam. He was a grown man now but still had that look he did when he was small. It was the look that would make her let him have sweets after John told him no.

So many questions were going through her head. Where had he been all this time? What happened to him? What happened to Aaron? Who was the man who took them? Did he hurt them? That last one, she didn’t want to be answered because she was sure of the answer. There was fear in her son’s eyes, fear that shouldn’t be there.

After he said he wanted to remember her, he had been silent. Anytime she would ask something he would just shrug. His eyes kept focusing on the wall clock. She was sure he was waiting for Aaron, for himself or Aaron, she wasn’t sure.

She hoped Cain found Aaron quickly. They had so many questions that needed to be answered.

* * *

 

“Wake up, Sunshine.”

_“Wake up, Sunshine.”_

_“Uncle Cainey, you came. I told mum you wouldn’t miss my birthday. She didn’t believe me.”_

Aaron blinked as the flash of memory faded away. He looked at the man, recognizing him from the pub. But it wasn’t just that though, he knew his face. He had shorter hair now and older but that voice. That face. It was all so familiar, like a long-forgotten dream. But it wasn’t a dream, he did know him.

“What?” he asked quietly.

He tried to sit up before he remembered he was tied on the ground, his face and ribs aching from the hits and kicks.

“Tell me, how do you know me?” the man asked.

The thought occurred to him to say from just earlier, but his head was too woozy to keep up a lie.

“Uncle Cainey.”

“I thought I told you to stop calling me that.” The man’s face paled a little, as if frightened. “Aaron. I thought you were dead. We all did.”

In a surprise move, one that he didn’t recognize from the little he remembered of his stoic uncle, the man lifted him a bit and embraced him. It was a bit uncomfortable with him still being bound. He didn’t like people touching him but felt it would be stupid to say while tied. He felt vulnerable, he didn’t like that either. This was supposed to be his new life, a life where he made his own choices.

“Uh, could you untie me?” he asked as the older man let him go.

Cain seemed to shake himself out of some trance he was in and scowled at him.

“Where have you been? Where is the man who took you? Why haven’t you come back until now?” The questions came as he did untie him.

He stood on shaky legs, he hoped he wasn’t far from home. “Thanks, mate,” he said, turning towards the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Umm...home?”

“Aren’t you going to answer my questions?”

He stared the man in the face. “Wasn’t planning on it.” He didn’t owe anyone anything. They had given him up. What did they expect, after becoming an adult to run back? He couldn’t remember their names much less anything else. Not that he wanted to see his mum or dad. They could burn for all he cared. He didn’t mean anything to them, they didn’t mean anything to him. Same with his uncle or any other family that appeared. Where were they when he needed them most?

“I’ll drive you,” Cain said, grabbing his arm and pulling him outside.

They were in what looked like an abandoned shack. Cain opened the passenger’s door and shoved him in. It was starting to make him angry, but since he didn’t know where he was, he would go with it. It wouldn’t be the first time he did something he didn’t want.

The drive didn’t take too long and soon they were outside of Brook Cottage.

“Cheers,” he said, before opening the door and planning to escape.

“Not so fast, we’re not done.”

Cain followed him up to the door and didn’t hesitate to follow him in. The scene in front of him stopped him in his tracks. Adam was huddled on the floor with his arms around his knees. A woman he hadn’t even seen before was sitting in front of him. She looked at them as they came in but didn’t say anything.

“What’s going on here?” he demanded. No one would hurt his brother again.

“Aaron,” the woman said, her face taking on a sad smile.

“Sorry, my name is Philip Jamison,” he said, looking at his brother for clues as to what was happening.

“No, luv, your name is Aaron Livesy. You the son of Chastity Dingle and Gordon Livesy.”

Livesy, it felt like that was true, but he couldn’t be sure. Even if, who was this woman. And why did Adam look sick?

“GET OUT!”

Everyone’s eyes went to Adam, who was getting to his feet. “Adam,” the woman said, standing up too.

“OUT! I want you and him out of here,” he said, pointing to Cain.

“You don’t mean that,” she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“My brother wants you out, so you need to leave,” he said, his voice hard.

“Aaron, please. Let me ring your mother, she’ll be here as soon as she can. I know.”

“Mother?” he said, his voice cracking.

If she told mother where they were father would come too. They would be trapped again. He had to get them out of Emmerdale before these people had them ambushed.

“Not mother, your mum,” Adam said, his voice hoarse from yelling.

Aaron’s back went up at that. “I don’t have a mum.” He turned towards the intruders. “You two need to leave, now.”

Cain looked between the three of them before nodding. “Let’s go, Moira.”

“I-I can’t.”

“We need to let them have some time to think.”

Aaron didn’t need to think, he just wanted them gone so he could talk to Adam. The woman argued a bit more before she finally agreed.

“I work and live at The Woolpack, I would love if you came to see me tomorrow.”

Adam nodded but didn’t say anything. Aaron hadn’t seen him like this in a long time. Usually it was the other way around, but sometime Adam couldn’t deal anymore and basically shutdown. He needed these people to leave so he could get him back.

“Goodbye, I hope to see you both tomorrow,” she said before they both left.

As soon as they were out the door he rushed over to Adam.

“Hey, kid, you’re alright. They’re gone,” he said softly.

After a long moment, Adam seemed to fall apart. He collapsed on the floor with giant sobs. Aaron got on the floor with him and held him until he was finished. Aaron was still shocked and upset to have seen his uncle, but Adam needed him, for that he would put his own emotions on hold.

Suddenly, just as he thought Adam was about to fall asleep, he sat up. His eyes were red-rimmed, and face worn. “I knew she didn’t give me up.”

“What?” He was lost.

“My mum. She didn’t give me up. Father and mother lied. I was taken from the carnival while she was taking care of my little sister. Father kidnapped me. That’s why they couldn’t adopt up legally. It had nothing to do with the house. It was because they stole us. That was my mum, my real mum,” he said, pointing at the door.

Aaron shook his head sadly. “Maybe that’s true with you but not me. I was naughty, always fighting with my mum. It was just too much for them.”

Adam started shaking his head. “No, mate.” His tears long dried up. “My mum told me while we waited for you. They kidnapped you too. Your mum took you to the beach, that part of your memory was right. But she didn’t give you to father, she was packing up your picnic when she noticed you missing. She’s been looking for you since you were taken.”

It was a nice dream, but it wasn’t the truth. He knew what he remembered, father was at the beach. He wasn’t stolen, he knew that.

Adam wasn’t finished. “She told me about the day I was taken. A man, father I guess, went up to me and my sister. He was looking for his dog.”

A sliver of a memory came to him.

_“Go away, you’re a baby,” an older boy said._

_Aaron just wanted to play with them. It wasn’t his fault he wasn’t older. The older boys walked off, shooting him disgruntled looks. He was just about to turn and go back down the beach to where his mum was when he felt someone come up beside him._

_“Well, ‘Ello lad,” a man said._

_Aaron looked at him, but he wasn’t sure he should say anything. His mum and dad said not to talk to strangers._

_When he didn’t say anything, the man smiled at him. “Ah, smart not talking to strangers,” he said, almost like he read his mind. “Just nod or shake your head. Have you seen my dog? He’s a nice little fella, had brown shaggy hair.”_

_Aaron shook his head, he hadn’t seen a dog. He had always wanted one, but mum said they were too much trouble. Maybe if he helped the man find it, he would let him pet it._

_“I can help you,” he said, puffing out his chest. He wasn’t a baby like those boys thought._

“Are you alright?”

Aaron snapped out of his memory. Had that really happened? Why hadn’t he remembered before?

“We weren’t given away?” he asked, needing to hear it from his brother.

“No. We have to leave.”

Aaron nodded. He knew why his brother said they needed to leave. There would be too many questions about where they had been. What had happened to them. They could never tell what had happened.

Before they could move, someone started to pound on the door. “Open the door, I need to speak to you,” a male voice yelled. The man didn’t sound angry.

“Who is it?” Adam asked.

“No clue. Should we answer?”

Adam nodded so they went to the door and peeked out. Aaron recognized the man from the road. He was the man that took the child from the accident.

He opened the door and let the man inside. The tall, thin man seemed a bit upset.

“Is everything alright?” Adam asked.

“Yeah, they are, thanks to you,” he said looking at Aaron. “If you hadn’t have gotten Rhona help she would have been in worse shape.”

“She’s alright? The lady?” he asked. After everything that had happened he had forgotten how his night had started.

“Yes, he’s got a nasty headache, but she’ll be fine. Paddy is with her now.”

“Where’s the little boy?” Aaron asked.

“My family is taking care of him. I realized I didn’t thank you for helping them. I heard this is where you lived. Sorry for dropping by so late, I just wanted to thank you.”

“It’s nothing, really,” he said quietly.

“I’m Marlon. It’s nice to have new blood in the village.”

“I’m Philip-

Adam coughed loudly. Aaron knew it was time to make a choice. Lie and run away in the morning or tell the truth. He didn’t want anyone to ask or talk about the past, but he did want to see his parents again. Looking at Adam, he knew he had the same dilemma.

“I’m Aaron Livesy,” he finally said.

The man’s eyes widened before rolling back in his head.

“Hell,” Adam yelped before helping Aaron grabbing the man before he fell to the ground. They lowered him to the ground, making sure he didn’t hit his head. “Why do you think he went and done that?”

“No idea. So, we’re really going to stay?”

Adam nodded. “I want to get to know my mum.”

“We can’t ever let them know.”

“Never,” Adam agreed.

 

 

 


	7. Real

The village was abuzz with news that Chas Dingle and Moira Barton’s missing sons had turned up in the village. He remembered when Chas came to the village in the first place. She had been a shell of a woman. It was after her divorce from her husband. He was dealing with his own stuff, so he hadn’t paid that much attention, but he remembered how the whole village felt for the family.

Now he knew the rent boy Lawrence had brought with him, was the lost Dingle. He wondered what the overprotective family would think of Lawrence and his interest in Aaron.

The biggest thing now was how to work his knowledge of such things into his favour. He wasn’t going to start targeting Aaron, because even he wasn’t that twisted. Lawrence though, didn’t need to know that fact.

It had been an interesting morning, listening to the gossip as he drank his Americano at the café. He was debating if he should head back to Home Farm or go to the pub when Chas Dingle herself walked in. She looked disgruntled, which wasn’t what he thought she would look like after getting her son back.

Bob’s eyes widened when he saw her and said an awkward greeting.

“Don’t you start with me. Moira stood me up last night. Then to make matters worse I got a flat on the way home. I’m in no mood for whatever you have to say,” she said, interrupting Bob as he opened his mouth to reply. “Just give me something strong.”

Robert realized she had no idea about Aaron. He couldn’t believe no one had rang to tell her. Then, just like a car accident, the café door opened and in walked Aaron and Moira’s son, Adam.

Bob seemed to be unable to function now that both Chas and her long-lost son were in his café. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he let the chips fall where they will.

“Good morning, Aaron,” he said casually, then added, “Adam.”

Maybe it was hearing the name Aaron, maybe it was hearing both names. For whatever reason, Chas turned around and promptly dropped her handbag.

Having a front row view of what was going on, he couldn’t turn away. Aaron’s eyes looked at Chas, he only wished to know what was going on in his head.

* * *

 

He had told himself that he would be fine seeing his mum again. For one thing he wasn’t sure he would recognize her, he was wrong. As she stood in front of him, staring at him like he was a ghost, he started to feel uncomfortable. It felt like she could see right through him. See every dirty, ugly thing about him.

“You’re not real,” she said, her heartbreak clear for anyone to see.

That was when the man behind the counter seemed to come out of his dazed state.

“No, Chas, he is real. I promise. No one wanted to tell you over the phone. They were worried you would get into an accident coming back. It’s Aaron, he’s real. Cain and Moira confirmed it,” the man said.

She didn’t look away from him when she asked, “Real?”

“He’s real. He’s here.”

He didn’t know why the man was talking to her like that. Like that she something fragile. The mum he remembered was tough as nails. This woman looked like her but was so broken.

“Aaron,” she whispered.

He didn’t know what to say to her. It wasn’t like he had pictured since last night and they decided to stay. He thought he would have some kind of emotional attachment to her. Something there but there was just nothing. He knew it was her, but she meant no more to him than a stranger. That wasn’t how Adam described feeling when he found his mum. Maybe he was just too broken, he had worried about that.

“Hello,” he said a bit awkwardly.

She approached him like he would disappear. He hoped she didn’t hug him. He wasn’t ready for any kind of that kind of affection yet…if ever.

“You’re real,” she said, he thought she was probably talking to herself, confirming she wasn’t seeing things.

The café door opened again, Cain came rushing in with Adam’s mum on his heels.

“Chas,” he started to say.

In an instant she changed. No longer was she looking lost or broken, no, now she looked livid.

“You knew,” she shrieked at the two. “My son comes back and you don’t tell me.”

“We made the choice to wait until you were home,” Cain said lamely.

“I expect this from him but not you,” she said, looking at Adam’s mum. Now she just looked betrayed.

“Chas, they’re here,” Adam’s mum said, her face so open and raw.

That seemed to stop his mum and she turned back towards him, she looked at him so intensely he took a step back. Her eyes then shot over to Adam.

“Adam?” she said, her voice shaking.

Adam’s mum nodded. “Yes, Chas, both of them. They’re both here,” she cried.

His mum lunged at him and he didn’t have enough time to turn. Her body hit him, sending a radiating pain from the cuts he made last night. He did his best not to flinch but was unsuccessful.

She pulled away. “What’s wrong?”

Adam stepped up. “Nothing, he just fell last night,” Adam lied for him.

“We need to see Lawrence,” he muttered before grabbing Adam’s arm and pulling him out of the café. It was a mistake to go there.

They heard both women calling them, but he couldn’t stop. Soon he heard his uncle call the women to stop. They were able to get away.

 

* * *

 

“I told you he was alive,” Chas said.

They were sitting in the pub, she was still processing everything. Aaron was here and alive. It was too much to wrap her head around. Years of people telling her to move on, that Aaron was dead and gone. She had known he would be a grown man, but it was still hard to not see her little boy. There was something off about him though. Something not quite right, she just couldn’t put her finger on it. Both Aaron and Adam were in Emmerdale, it was a dream come true. She did notice how he shied away from her touch though, and then practically ran away.

She wasn’t dumb, she knew the score. If he and Adam were kept alive, it most likely wasn’t a good life. She just needed to know what happened to them. She needed to know how to protect him now. Over the years with the website, she had seen families torn apart when a child was found. They were never the same, not enough children were found alive, but some were.

 

* * *

 

Adam had gone back to the cottage, wanting some time alone. Aaron really did need to talk to Lawrence now. Because of his tie with some of the people in the village, their fake identities would be of no use. He needed to make sure that Lawrence didn’t tell anyone how he knew him.

A car slowed down beside him as he walked towards Home Farm.

“Need a ride?”

He knew that voice, Robert Sugden. “Not from the likes of you,” he said, not looking at the man as he continued to walk.

“We’re going to the same place.”

“I’d rather walk.”

“Have it your way.”

Aaron watched the sleek car speed away, heading up the long drive to Home Farm. He really didn’t like that bloke, he told himself. There was the only problem that the guy was gorgeous. He had never been attracted to someone like he was Robert. When he was a teen there was a few lads he knew in the same game he was, some he liked. But nothing like the quick sped of his pulse whenever Robert was around. Maybe it was a good thing Robert Sugden was a prat, it was enough reason to stay away from him.


	8. Reporters

The television was on, playing one of his wife’s shows. He hated those shows but they did keep her from harping on him all the time. It was time for him to visit the boys, he hadn’t in a few weeks. Usually, he checked on them every few days after they moved out. But his wife had started to get jealous again, she was always jealous of his relationship with his boys.

As he was getting ready to leave, the show went on break.

“Coming up at ten, two missing boys found alive after fifteen years. Stay with us for more information,” the news anchor said before cutting to a commercial.

The harpy’s head swirled around, almost unnaturally. “You don’t think?”

In that moment, he knew it was them. Curtis had been getting bolder with his talking back, he thought he had beat that out of him. It seemed now, he hadn’t hit him hard enough, maybe he should have tried harder with Ben. His wife had been jealous when he brought Curtis home, he offered to get her a daughter, but she didn’t like that idea. Losing their first son had been so hard on her. She had picked Benny out herself while they were at a carnival. He had been helping his sister win a prize. He was everything Curtis wasn’t; happy, friendly, courteous. She forbid him from disciplining and caring for Ben, which he took out on Curtis a little more than he should. But as Ben aged a few times she did allow him time with his youngest son, not much but enough. Several times he thought about letting Curtis know but there was always something lurking in Curtis’ eyes that scared him. It wasn’t until the boy was a grown man until he realized what it was…insanity. He kept a good lock on it but that was more Ben’s doing than Curtis. It had been the reason he allowed them to get the flat. Only so much longer at home with them before Curtis would have snapped.

“Calm down,” he finally said.

He knew his boys, knew them better than anyone knew them. Ben would shut down and Curtis would start to implode. His boys wouldn’t give him up, they loved him too much. “Don’t worry, luv,” he said before leaving. He needed to clean up any trace of the boys from their flat. They wouldn’t tell but people had seen them live in that place. Then he would deal with them, when they weren’t expecting him.

* * *

 

“Why won’t they just go away?” Adam asked, anger in his voice.

It had been two days since the whole village had found out about them. Not half a day later the police were knocking on their door to talk to them. They lied through their teeth, telling them that they were taken by an elderly couple who had long since passed away. It sounded good; old people that didn’t hurt them, just lonely and a little crazy to kidnap kids in public. He suspected that the lead investigator, DS Wise, didn’t believe them. He knew it wasn’t the last they heard from him.

But it wasn’t the police that was making Adam so unhappy. No, it was the reporters who had somehow gotten ahold to the story. Now they were camping on the lawn trying to get a photo or interview with them.

“They’ll get bored and leave.” He hoped.

“That’s not it. If we’re on the news, they’ll see us. They’ll know where we are.”

Aaron had thought of that but had been keeping fear at a distance with the help of his razor. In fact, his stomach was throbbing right now, reminding him of how much cutting it had taken to not panic.

“They wouldn’t risk coming here with all the publicity. Afterwards, they would be too scared we would give them up.” He didn’t believe his own words for a second, father would never let them go. But he had decided when they chose to stay, that if he ever did show his face, he would do what he had to for Adam.

Just then the phone rang. “That better not be another bleedin’ reporter,” Adam snapped.

They let the machine pick it up.

“Aaron, luv,” he heard his mum say.

Adam gave him that look, the one that said he needed to be nice. He shook his head, he just wasn’t ready yet. In his head he knew know that his family didn’t give him up, but his heart had yet to believe it. Inside he still felt like that little boy in that room all by himself.

They listened to her leave her number and saying she would love for him to come to the Woolpack. She said she was trying to get the police to do something about the reporters. He hoped she would be able to get somewhere. They were supposed to meet Lawrence to sign some paperwork for the scrapyard. That whole thing still felt unreal, but he knew the man enough to know he wasn’t lying. He was just glad Lawrence hadn’t backed away because of the new developments.

“Did I tell you I’m going to the pub with Victoria tonight?” Adam said suddenly.

“Like a date?”

“No, just mates…for now.” The reporters forgotten for the moment and a smile prominent on his face.

“You really like her, yeah?”

“Well, I just met her, but she’s fit and nice. Not only that, she’s dead funny. There’s really only one drawback.”

“Let me guess…her brother.”

“Right. There’s something not right about him. It’s like he’s always waiting and watching. Like a hawk ready to swoop in on an unsuspecting mouse.”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “You need to stop watching those nature shows.”

“You can learn a lot from those shows. You should give it a go.”

“I’ll pass. Anyway, have fun tonight.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone though. You can come with us.”

“And be the third wheel? No thanks.”

“Please, Aaron.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got my own plans.”

This seemed to cause Adam more worry. Aaron could tell by the look on his face. He didn’t want that, but he wasn’t about to tell him where he was going.

“What plans?”

“Just thought I’d look around the village.”

“I can ring Victoria and cancel, we’ll do that together.”

Aaron knew his brother didn’t buy his lie, but he wouldn’t call him on it. “I just want to be alone. We’ll look around together tomorrow after we sign the papers.”

Adam looked like he wanted to argue but it wasn’t really in his nature. So instead he begrudgingly nodded his head. Aaron hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake later.

* * *

 

Robert knew he was asking for trouble but couldn’t stay away from Aaron Livesy. That was why he rang him earlier in the day, asking him to meet him. He didn’t really know what he was going to say but he knew he needed information from him. Still, there was a voice in the back of his mind saying that wasn’t the only reason. He told the voice to sod off.

He arrived early at the Cricket Pavilion, where he had told Aaron to meet him. Aaron wanted somewhere that didn’t have people, around, Robert was for that, he didn’t want nosy villagers. They were always watching him, waiting for him to screw up. It was like he was eighteen again. People in the village did not forgive and forget, especially, his soon to be sister-in-law, Katie. He loved how she seems to forget she was a very willing participant in the affair they had. He knew her real issue was him cheating on her, but really, how did she not see that coming.

The time that Aaron was supposed to be there came and went, he was about to leave when a figure started across the pitch.

“Didn’t think you’d show,” he said once Aaron was close enough to hear.

“You try and shake a nosy brother and persistent reporters on foot.”

The younger man was wearing a black hoodie and black jeans. He couldn’t be sending more of a ‘back off’ vibe.

“I’m glad you were successful.”

“Why am I here, Robert? If you want info on Lawrence you’re out of luck.”

Robert realized that didn’t really upset him, he’d get Lawrence another way. He was just drawn to Aaron and his hostile attitude, it was mad.

“I just thought you could use a mate.”

Aaron laughed bitterly. “And you think that’s you? I may be new here but even I have heard the whispers about you and your past.”

“Glass houses and all that,” he said, not really wanting to bring up Aaron’s former life now. After finding out about the kidnapping, it felt wrong to use.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

For once in his life, Robert backed down. “I know, sorry, that was low to say. I know what everyone here thinks of me. With my past, no one wants to give me another chance. I was just thinking, you seem like you need a mate, I know I do,” he said honestly.

Aaron seemed to hesitant but nodded. “I could, but I won’t be used. Whatever game you’re playing, stop. You get one chance, if you mess me about, we’re done.”

“Understood. So, what would you like to do now, mate?” He smiled his most winning smile, for a split second, Aaron returned it with a smile. A small one but a smile none the less. He wanted to make his goal to make him smile again, he looked good smiling.


End file.
